Garage door



NOV. 22, 1932. w RR 1,888,456

GARAGE DOOR Filed Nov. 5, 1928 Fatened Nov. 22, 1932 PTEN FEC WELLIJIAM1D. FERBIS, 0F STERLNG, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 EBAN'I'Z MANU'FACHUBIQ'GC- F S'LERLING, ILLINOIS, A CORPOBATION 0I 1II:INOIS ABAGE DOORApplication fl1ed November 5, 1928. Seria No. 317,178.

i.his inventien relates te garage doers, er d00rs for other buildings,and more par1cuarly te doers of this kind, thai' are adapted andconstructed te move upvvardly out of the deorway, er ether opening, andint o an open p0sition overhead, er into a pos1t1on at the tep of theopening.

Generally stated, therefore, the 0b]GC of the invention is te provide anovel and improved construction whereby the door, or other closure, iscomposed of seet-ions h1nged together and mounted te old into openpositi0n at the top of the doorway, er oijher opening, whereby teobviate the necess1ty of empleying overhead trucks, or rails, ergrr1des, and whereby ether advantages are obta1ned, as Will hereinaftermore fully appear.

t is also an object to provide certain de tails and features ofconstruction and COII1b1- nations tending te inerease the generalefficiency and desirability of an overhead folding door or closure ofthis particular character.

T0 the foregoing and other useful ends, the invention consists inmatters hereinafter described and claimed and shown in the accompanyingdrawing, in which Figure 1 is an inside view or rear elevation of agarage door construction involving the prineiples of the invention,showing ad acent portions of the doerway and the front wall of thebuilding;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on line 2, 2 in Figure 1, the door beingshown in closed position in these two figures of the drawing;

F igure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, bui: showing the door in openposition;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail horizontal section on line 1, 4: inFigure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical detail section on line 5, 5 in Figure1.

As thus illustrated, the invention comprises a plurality of horizontallydisposed door seetions 1, 2 and 3, disposed in the same vertical plane,the upper section 1 being conneeted by hinges 4 to the stationaryportion 5 of the doorway. These hinges 4 are preferably of sucheonstruction that they have some lost motion therein, permitting thepivots thereof t0 move slightly up and down, some upward displacementbeing necessary When the sections 1 and 2 are pushed inwardly instarting the opening movement of the door. The sections 1 and 2 areconnected together by outside hinges 6, and the seetion 2 may beprovided inside with a hinged er folding handle 7. H necessary erdesiralole, a simi1ar handle 8 can be provded on the outer side of thesection 2 of the door. The seetions 2 and 3 are hinged together by meansef the inside hinges 9, and the section 3 may have an outside handle 10for use in pul]ing the door down into closed position.

The hinges 9 have sheaves 11 traveling in the vertical guides 12,disposed at opposite sides of the doorway and, in addition, thesesheaves have suitable portions for engaging the eounterbalance cords erconneetions 13, whch latter have their lower ends attached to theseetion 3 at 14, and have their upper portions supported by stationarysheaves 15 mounted in the doorway frame, or in the structure of thebuilding, each cord having a counterweight 16 for its ether end, asshown.

The sections of the door rest firmly against the inside of the door-jamb17, When the door is in closed position, and, in addition, the l0wersection 3 is held tightly by the inside strips 0r nner jamb 18, as shownin Figure 2 of the drawing. When the door is in elosed position, theweghts 16 are ineapable of pulling the door up into open position.

However, When it is desired to open the door. it is only necessary totake held of the handle 7 and pull the seetions 1 and 2 in wardly, whichmovement causes section 3 te slide upwardly in the plane thereof. Whenthe door is thus partially opened, and When the section 3 has beendisengaged :Erom the inner jamb 18, the weights 16 are then opera tve tofold the door sections together and pull the door into open positon, asshown in Figure 3 of the drawing.

T0 close the door, it is only necessary to reach up and grasp the handle10 and pull the sections downward until the lower edge of the sect-ion 3is between the outside jamb 17 and the inside jamb 18, and by thenpushing en the sections 1 and 2 from the inside,

the door structure will be straightened out in the manner shown inFigure 2 of the drawin" and will thus be closed.

t is obvious, of course, that a doorof this kind ean be locked eitherfrom the outside or from the inside, in \arious ways, depending uponconditions and 1 uirements. In some cases, it may be desirab e to unlockthe door and open it from the outside, but if the ga rage has a reardoor, the overhead folding door ma then be unlocked and opened from theinsi e.

As shown, the door comprises three sections hinged together, but it willbe understood that the invention is not limited to any particular numberof sections, nor to the exact construction shown and described.

With the fore oing construction and mode of ration, which isillustrative of one form of tii: invention, it will be seen that nooverhead trucks, or rails, or guides, are necessary, inasmuch as thedoor has no sliding movement overhead, but, to the contrary, is simplycomposed of hinged or articulated sections that fold together upwardlyinto a compact position overhead. Fnrthermore, when the door is closed,practically the entire weight thereof is sustamed at its lower edge, asthe lower ed of the section 3 will rest on the floor or s1ll of thedoorway because of the lost motion in the hinges 4, and in this way thedoor is tight all around when in closed position, and the slight space19 at the upper edge of the section 1 is fully covered by the framertion 20 of the doorway when the door is in closed position. Moreover,the invention is of such character that the door sections can be made oflight wood, if desired, and do not necessarily have to be made of metal,although wood or metal, or other materials, can be employed, if desired.When properly balanced, very little efi'ort is required to raise thedoor into open position, and very litt-le efl'ort is required to pullthe door down into closed positmn.

It will be seen that the uppermost section 1 and the middle section 2are hinged together to break joint inwardly, while the middle andlowermost sections are hinged together to break joint outwardly, wherebythe outer sides of the uppermost and 1niddle sections coma together,whereas the inner sides of the middle section and the lowermost sectioncome practically flatwiSe together, when the door is folded and in openposition. The nppermost section 1, it will be seen, is hinged at itsupper edge to the top of the doorway to swing inwardly and npwardlv andthe counterbalancing means are efective to hold the sections foldedtightly together and in overhead position when the door is open.

It will be seen that the point of attachment or engagement 14 of thecounterbalancing means 13 with the lowermost section 3 is movable towardand away from the vertical plane of the door during the motion of thedoor in closing and opening, whereby this point 14 is some distanceinside of the vertical plane of the door, when the door is in fullvopened position. In this way, the point of attaclnnent.

or engagement 14 assumes the position by whioh it advantageouslysupports theweight of all three sections in raised )osition and preventsthe loWerm0st section rom sagging downwardly when the door is fullyopen. Thus, the counterbalancing means is attached only to the lowermostsection of the door, and snch mcans is sufiicient to support the entiredoor in raised position. The lowermost edge of the door is releasablefrom the vertical )lane of the door and is free when the door is infully opened position, for the reasons and in the manner explained.

VVhen the door is open, it will be seen that the sections 1 2 and 3 areentirely inside the doorway, in a safe and dry place overhead, so thatthey will not be ontside and will not catch rain or snow, when the dooris open.

In eflect, therefore, the flexible connections 13 are connected only tothe lowermost section 3, in the sensethat while these connectionscontrol the sections 1 and 2 it is nevertheless true that they only dothis through the medium of the hinges between the sections. In otherwords, these flexible counterbalancing connections are so attached thatthey control the lowermost section directly, and only control the othersections through the medium of said hinges.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A door construction comprising a plu rality of vertically disposedand hinged or aiticulated sections all mounted to fold upwardly togetherinto a final overhead open position at the top of the doorway, havingmeans wherebv a lower section is movable upwardly a distance in thevertical plane thereof, in the operation of opening the door and ismovable downward in said plane in the closing of the door, the lowermostedge of the door being releasable from said plane and being free whenthe door is folded and fully open.

2. A structure as specified in claim 1, (omprising counterhalancingmeans connected to said lower section to assist in lifting and foldingthe door upwardly into open position, with the lower edge of said lowersection free and inside the building.

3. A structure as snecified in claim 1. (omprising vertically disposedguides at the sides of the doorway, with means at the joint between twoof the sections for engaging said guides, inner and outer doorjambs, theinner door-iambs being of less height than the lowermost section of thedoor, when the door is in closed position, whereby the said lowermostsection is itlens able from the door-jambs to permit upward folding ofthe door sections, and permitting unfolding of the seotions andre-entranoe of. the iower section between saici inner and outer jambs,together with counterbalanci1g n1eans attached to the iowernmst section.

4. A structure as specified in claim 1, comprising verticaliy disposedguides at the sdes of the doorway, with means at the joint between Ltwoof the sections or engaging said guides, inner and outer door-jambs, theinner door-ja1nbs being of 1ess height than the 10W- ermost section ofthe door, when the door is in ciosed osition, whereby the said lowermostsect1on is releasable from the doorj ambs to per1nit upward foiding ofthe door sections, and permitting unfoiding of the sections andre-entrance o the iower section between said inner and outer jambs,together with eounterbaiancing 1neans attache to the iowermost section,the1e being three of said sections, the uppermost and the middlesections being hinged to break joint inwardly, and he middle and theowermost sections being hinged to break joint outwzircily, when the dooris opened, and the uppermost soetion having its upper edge portionhinged to the top of the doorway in a manner permitting the uppennostsection to swing i11- wardly and upwardly, but the outer doorjambholding the sections against outward movement and in the same pane whenthe door is in c1osed position.

5. A structure as speeified in claim 1, there being three of saidsections, the uppermost seetion being hinged at its upper e(ige to thetop of the doorway in a 1nanner per1nittiug this section to swinginwardly and upwardly, the middle section and the uppermost secion beinghinged together to break joint i11- wardly, the middle section and thelowermost section being hinged together to break joint outwardly, andinner and outer door jambs holding said lowermost seotion in a verticalplane during the initial opening movement of the door, as well as duringthe final clos ing movement thereof.

6. A structu1e as specified in claim 1, there being three of saidsections,the uppermostsection being hinged at its upper edge to the topof the doorway in a n1anner permitting this section to swing inwardlyand upwardly, the middle section and the uppermost section being hingedtogether to break joint inward ly, the middle section and the lowermostsection being hinged together to break joint outwardly, and inner andouter door jamlos holding said lower1nost section in a vertieal planeduring the initial opening 1noven1ent of the door, as well as during thefinal closing movement thereof, together with counterbalancing meansattached to said lowermost section, serving to hold the seetions foldedtightly together in overhead position.

7. A door construction comprisng a plurality of vertically disposed andhinged or articulated sections mounted t0 fold upwardly together into anoverhead position at the top of the doorway, comprising verticallydisposed guidcs at the sdes of the doorway, with means on the jointbetween two of the sections 01 engaging said guides, inner and outerdoor-jambs,- the inner do'or-jambs being of 1(ss height than theowermost section of the door, when the door is in oiosed position,whereby the said owermost section is releasable. from the door-jambs topermit upward folding of the door sections, and permtting unfolding ofthe sections and reentrance of the lower section between said inuor andouter jambs, together with counterbalancing means attached to theowermost section.

8. A door eonstruction comprising a. piuiaiity of vertically disposedand hinged 01 articulated sections mounted to o1d upward- 1y togetherinto an overhead position at the top of the doorway, comprisingvertically disposed guides at the sides of the doorway, with 1neans onthe joint between two of 1the sections fox engaging said guides, inneran outer door-jambs, the inner door-jambs bng of less height than theiowermost section of the door, when the door is in cioseci position,whereby the sai lowermost section is releasable from the door-jambs topermit upward folding of the door sections, and per- 1nittr'ng unfoldingof the sections and reentrance of the iower section between said innerand outer jambs, together with counterbalancin means attached to thelowermost section, tiere being three of said sections, the uppermost andthe middle sections being hinged to break joint inwardly, and the middleand the iowermost sections being hinged to break joint outwardly, whenthe door is opened, and the uppermost section having its upper edgeportion hinged to the top of the doorway in a marmer permitting theupper- 1nost seott on to swing inwardly and upward ly, but the outerdoor-jamb holding the sections against outward movement and in the sameplane when the door is in closed position.

9. A door construction comprising a plurality of vertically disposed andhinged or articulated sections mounted t0 fold upwardly together into anoverhead position at the top of the doorway, there being th ree o f sa1dsections, the uppern1ost section be1ng h1nged at its upper edge to thetop of the doorway in a manner permtting this section to sw ng inwardlyand upwardly, the middle sect1on and the uppermost section being hingegto gether to break joint inwardly, the m1ddle section and the lowermostsection being hinged together to break joint outwardly, and meansholding said lowermost section in a vertical plane during a portion ofthe opening movement of the door, as well as during a portion of theclosing movement thereof.

10. A door construction comprising a lurality of verticully disposed andhinge or articulatcd sections mounted to fold upwardly together into unoverhead positioh at the top of the doorway, there being threo of suidseotions, the uppermst section being hinged at its upper edge to the topof the doorway in a mnnner permitting this section to swing i nwardlyand upwardly, the middle section and the uppermost section being hingedtogether to break joint inwardly, the middle section nd the lowermostsection being hinged togethcr to break joint outwardly, meuns holdingsaid lowermost secton in a. verticel plane during a portion of theopening movement of the door, as well as during a portion of the closingmovement thereof, nnd counterbalancing means attached in effect to saidlowermost section, serving to hold the sections folded tightly togetherin overhead position.

11. A door construction comprising a lurality of vertically disposed andhinge or articulated sections mounted to fold upwardly together into anoverhead position at the top of the doorway, and counterbalancing meansattached in effect only to the lowermost hinged seetion of the door, thepoint of attachment of said lowermost section being movable toward andaway from the vertical plane of the door, by the opening and closingmotion of the door, whereby said point of attachment is a distanceinside of said plane when the door is in raised position, to provideleverage to hold the door in raised position with the lower edge of snidlowermost section free and inside the building.

12. An overhead vertical door comprising upper and lower sections and enintermediate section hingod together, guiding means ex tendingvertically at each side of the door, and counterbalancing means havingengagement with the lower hinged section to support all of the sectionsin raised position, the point of support of said connterbalancing meanson said lower section being movable away from the vertical plane of thedoor and said gniding ineans when the door is folded into final openposition, thereby to support the sections in raised position, to provideleverage to hold the door in raised position, with the lower edge ofsaid lower section free and inside the building.

13. A structure as specified in claim 1, smid lowermost edge being thelower edge of said lower section of the door, and this lower sectionhavin z its said free edge inside the building when the door is inoverhead open position. and having its upper edge practically retainedin said vertical plane when the door is in said open position.

14. A door construction comprising a plurality of vertically disposedand hinged or articulated sections mounted to fold upwardly togetherinto an overhead 'position at the top of the doorwuy, comprising hingesbetween sections to break joint inwardl other hinges between sections tobreak joint outwardly, whereby the outer sides of some sections foldtogether, and some sections fold with their inner sides together, withall of the sections when folded together as stated fully inside of thedoorway when the door is in overhead open position, counterbalancingmeans attached in effect to the lowermost section of the door toconnterbala.noe the weight of all the sections in raised position, andmeans requiring vertical motion of the lowermost section in thevertica.l plane theret of in opening the door before this section can beswung into folded position.

15. A structure as specified in claim 14, the uppermost section imvingpivotal conneetions at the upper corners thereof, with some lost motionvertically in saidpivotalconnections.

16. A structure as specified in claim 14, said sections havinghorizontal edges adapted to fit tightly together when the door is invertical closed position, and the uppermost section having pi"otalconnections at the upper corners thereof, with some lost motion vertically in said pivotal connections.

17. A structure as specified in claim 14, said counterbalancing meanscoxn rising flexible connections attached in e ect to the lowermostsection of the door only, whereby said counterbalancing means controlthe other sections only through the medium of the hin es between thesections.

pecification signed this 1st day of November, 1928.

WILLIAM D. FERRIS.

